F Andrej Kudrna (Vancouver, Red Deer, 2008-11) was released by Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). He had yet to play a game this season.
———
As Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts at Large tweeted on Friday, the Calgary Hitmen got back D Alex Roach,
20, from the NHL's Los Angeles. . . . Roach played three games with the ECHL's Ontario Reign, earning three assists. . . . The Kings signed him as an undrafted free agent. . . . Roach, from Quesnel, B.C., has 83 points, 23 of them goals, in 184 games with the Hitmen. . . . His return leaves the Hitmen with four 20-year-olds, one over the roster limit. They will have 14 days to move Roach, D Jesse Zgraggen, F Brady Brassart or D Jaynen Rissling.———
The OHL's Erie Otters ran their winning streak to a franchise-record 11 games on Saturday as they dumped the host Niagara Ice Dogs, 6-0. Kris Knoblauch, a former WHL player and coach, is the Otters' head coach. . . . The Otters are scheduled to meet the Knights in London this afternoon.
———
You likely are aware that the legendary Bobby Orr has written a book in which he makes the case that fighting belongs in hockey, at least at the NHL level. If you missed it, The Globe and Mail carried an excerpt from that book right here. . .
Ken Dryden, the former goaltending great, disagrees. Dryden's piece from Saturday's Globe and Mail is right here.
———
Mike Beamish of the Vancouver Sun, who normally spends his time covering the B.C. Lions, had a couple of good reads in Saturday's sports section, both of them involving Pavel Bure. The first one is right here, with the other right here. . . . The first of those involves a confession from Beamish, who admits to once asking Bure for his autograph. The second story is about how Igor Kuperman played a role in Bure ending up with the Vancouver Canucks, who retired his number (10) last night.
———
SUDBURY SATURDAY NIGHT:
In Lethbrige, F Jessey Astles had two goals and two assists as the Tri-City Americans dropped the Hurricanes, 8-1. . . . The Hurricanes have played 17 games this season and won only two of them. They are 2-12-3 and already nine points out of a playoff spot. . . . Astles, who has a career-high four goals this season, went into the game with two assists in 16 games. He also was plus-4. . . . Going into this season, Astles had seven goals in 179 games. . . . F Devon McAndrews, who joined the Americans from the AJHL this week, had a goal, his first, and two assists. He also finished plus-4. He had two assists in 13 games with the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots for the victory; his brother Ty, 16, scored his first WHL goal. . . . The Americans have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . F Parker Bowles scored for a second straight game for the Americans. He had missed the season's first 18 games as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. . . .
In Prince George, the Kelowna Rockets scored the game's last three goals and beat the Cougars, 4-1. . . . Kelowna F Carter Rigby picked up an assist in his first game this season after recovering from shoulder woes. . . . The Rockets had beaten the host Cougars 7-6 in a shootout on Friday night. . . . Kelowna (11-2-2) has won four straight and leads the B.C. Division by three points over the Victoria Royals (10-8-1), who have played three more games. . . . F Tyrell Goulbourne was scratched by the Rockets after suffering an undisclosed injury on Friday. . . .
In Victoria, the Royals scored the game's first three goals and beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-1. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges, who played his first game of the season on Friday, drew two first-period assists. He had been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. . . . This was the first time in four opportunities that Victoria head coach Dave Lowry had earned the victory over Red Deer GM/head coach Brent Sutter. Lowry was an assistant under Sutter for three seasons with the NHL's Calgary Flames. . . .
In Swift Current, the Broncos scored six third-period goals and beat the Saskatoon Blades, 7-6. . . . Saskatoon actually took a 5-1 lead into the third period. . . . Swift Current F Graham Black tied it at 11:36 of the third period and F Connor Sanvido won it at 19:15. . . . Black finished with two goals and two assists, getting a goal and two helpers in the third period. . . . Saskatoon F Matt Revel scored a natural hat trick, getting three goals in 10:53, the first coming in the first period and last two in the second. . . . Swift Current had a 23-7 edge in third-period shots. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak, a Russian freshman, ran his point streak to 11 games with a first-period assist. . . . Tweet from Blades radio voice Les Lazaruk (@Bladesvoice): "I believe it was the late, great Jack Buck who said it, but I can't believe what I just saw. @bladeshockey L 7-6 in Swift. Led 5-1 after 40." . . . The Broncos have won four in a row; the Blades have lost four straight. . . .
In Moose Jaw, F Dakota Conroy scored at 2:53 of OT to give the Raiders a 3-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . Raiders D MacKenzie Johnston had forced extra time with a goal at 16:47 of the third period. It was his first goal of the season. . . . Johnston, 20, who was acquired last month from the Kelowna Rockets, has nine goals in 246 career games. . . . The Raiders (11-6-1) lead the East Division and are one point behind the Eastern Conference-leading Medicine Hat Tigers (11-3-2). . . .
In Everett, G Daniel Cotton stopped 16 shots as the Silvertips blanked his old club, the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-0. . . . Cotton has three career shutouts, one this season. . . . All of his shutouts have been with Everett. He played 18 games with Seattle -- one in 2010-11 and 17 in 2011-12 -- before he ended up in Everett. . . . F Josh Winquist scored twice, giving him 13 on the season. . . . Everett held a 12-2 edge on shots in the first period and 11-5 in the second. . . . The Silvertips (11-3-2) are three points off the U.S. Division lead. . . . The Silvertips have added F Darcy DeRoose, 18, to their roster, although he didn't play in this one. A native of Weyburn, Sask., he had been with the SJHL's Estevan Bruins, for whom he had 12 points, eight of them goals, in 14 games. Earlier in his career, he played three games with the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl didn't play as he is awaiting word on a suspension after a checking-from-behind major in Friday's 6-3 loss to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Seattle was without F Roberts Lipsbergs (undisclosed injury) and D Evan Wardley, who is awaiting word on a suspension after he took out Portland F Adam De Champlain one night earlier during a 5-2 loss in Kent, Wash. . . . 
In Kamloops, D Brett Kulak's shootout goal gave the Vancouver Giants a 4-3 victory over the Blazers. . . . The Giants have won four of five, with the victories all coming on the road. In the last week, they won twice in Kamloops and twice in Prince George. . . . Blazers F Nick Chyzowski, 16, scored his first two WHL goals, pulling his side into 2-2 and 3-3 ties in the third period. He is the son of former Blazers F Dave Chyzowski. . . . F Aspen Sterzer had three assists for Kamloops. . . .
In Spokane, the Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to 11 games with a 3-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The defending-champion Winterhawks have the WHL's best record, at 14-3-1. . . . Portland has won six in a row on the road. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the game's first goal to run his point streak to 12 games. . . . Portland F Nic Petan drew an assist on that goal and is riding an 11-game point streak. . . . Petan finished with three assists. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg had his season-opening point streak stopped at 17 games. He put up a league-leading 42 points over that stretch. . . . The Winterhawks next play Wednesday against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . The Chiefs (12-5-0) are three points in back of the Winterhawks.———
The NHL had one of its dimmer moments Saturday when it announced that Philadelphia Flyers G Ray Emery wouldn't be suspended for his Friday night assault on Washington Capitals G Braden Holtby. . . . Apparently, the NHL doesn't have a rule that covers an assault on an unwilling dance partner. . . . John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal gives the NHL a few jabs right here.———
From Hall of Fame hockey writer Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) of the Los Angeles Times: "NHL once suspended Sean Avery for conduct detrimental to the game but won't invoke clause to suspend Ray Emery for (Friday) night's craziness?"
———
From columnist Gary Lawless (@garylawless) of the Winnipeg Free Press: "so if the #blackhawks score a couple more should we expect a line brawl featuring 1 of #nhljets beating up someone who doesn't want to fight."
———
From TSN's Dave Hodge (@TSNDaveHodge): "There's nothing in the rule book that allows the NHL to suspend Ray Emery, which means there's nothing that covers stupid stuff."
There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
Posts
